Press Review

“Azg” says the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) will tighten its grip on government and rule the country “almost without internal counterweights” for the next five years as a result of the parliamentary elections. The paper also predicts a pro-Russian tilt in Armenian foreign policy and more problems in Armenia’s relationship with Georgia. At the same time, it says, the Republican Party will now bear greater responsibility for serious internal and external challenges facing Armenia. “Will the Republican Party be able not to become a hostage of its own victory? It’s very difficult to say.”

“One has to see positive aspects in everything, even Armenian elections,” writes “Aravot.” “That elections were once again rigged is certainly bad. But the fact that they were rigged without crude and overt violence, as yet, is definitely good.” Another good thing about Saturday’s elections, according to the paper, is the fact that the People’s Party of populist TV commentator Tigran Karapetian will have no seats in the National Assembly anymore. Its failure “proves that human treason is not always rewarded,” “Aravot” concludes, pointing to the presence of prominent Orinats Yerkir defectors in that party’s list of election candidates.

“Hayots Ashkhar” ridicules radical opposition groups that promised to stage a “revolution” in Armenia. “The revolution that started yesterday is doomed to fail,” writes the pro-government daily. “And the main reason for this is not that the people have not backed its liberators, that the criminal regime has not displayed unseen brutality, or that it rained intermittently. The revolution failed because its organizers were acting in a tragic fashion.”

“Yesterday’s rally, although relatively large, took place slowly and melancholically,” comments “Hayastani Hanrapetutyun.” “The spirit of the previous [radical opposition] rally deserted both the speakers and listeners. By planning a rally for the day after the voting, this radical trio hoped they that will be joined by all those who failed to pass the 5 percent threshold and that their rallies will become extremely well attended. But although there is no lack of oppositionists not elected to the parliament, only [Stepan Demirchian’s] HZhK joined them.” The paper says the radical opposition was also upset by Western observers’ positive assessment of the vote. “The West again sent the opposition no positive messages to start revolutionary processes. It was not accidental that the planned march to the Central Election Commission building because of the leaders themselves.”

Another opposition leader, Artashes Geghamian, tells “Aravot” that he will not join the radical opposition in challenging the official vote results. “I joined the fight with an anti-crisis program. That program failed to get sufficient votes. It means [Armenians] preferred other approaches, and that should not be presented as a tragedy,” says Geghamian.

(Atom Markarian)